5 rules for picking your 5 NBA League Pass teams

We’re officially one week out from NBA training camps starting, meaning the offseason is finally coming to a close. This means the time has come to decide whether you want to invest in League Pass. The broadband version of the NBA’s streaming package comes in two varieties: a $189 package that gives you access to all 30 teams and a $129 “Choice” version that lets you pick five.

All nationally televised games are blacked out, as are games that are televised locally in your area. But if you want to follow the NBA more closely than you have in the past and don’t want to shell out for the full package, League Pass Choice could be a great option for you.

However, you must choose your five teams wisely. There are smart ways to make these decisions and methods that don’t make as much sense. But if you follow these five guidelines, you’ll be rewarded with excellent basketball from November to April.

1. Check the national schedule

Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports

As exciting as the Miami Heat or Los Angeles Clippers may be to watch on a nightly basis, you don’t need League Pass to catch them. They have more than their share of appearances on ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBATV over the course of the season.

A good rule of thumb to follow: if a team has at least 20 national TV appearances, they’re probably a waste of a League Pass Choice spot. This rules out the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks (33 national games each), Oklahoma City Thunder (30), both Los Angeles teams (the Clippers and Lakers each have 29), Heat (27), Brooklyn Nets (26), Houston Rockets (26), Golden State Warriors (26) and San Antonio Spurs (21).

The point of League Pass is to be able to watch games you otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Picking one of these teams defeats the purpose. So consult the broadcast schedule before deciding.

2. Divisions are your friend

Tom Szczerbowski, USA TODAY Sports

Spread your selections out across the league. Teams in the same division play each other four times every season, so don’t pick more than two teams from the same division. If you want to get the most bang for your buck in terms of getting to see one of the elite teams without burning one of your five selections on them, pick the division rival that appeals to you the most.

If you take the Toronto Raptors, that’s four games apiece of the Knicks and Nets. The Detroit Pistons get you a combined eight games of the Bulls and Indiana Pacers. The New Orleans Pelicans get you four Spurs games, four Rockets games and four Memphis Grizzlies games.

3. Work within your time zone

Greg Smith, USA TODAY Sports

On weekdays, most games start at 6 or 7 p.m. local time. If you’re on the west coast and have a normal work or school schedule, there’s no point in picking lots of east coast teams, because you won’t be around to watch them. If you’re on the east coast, you have more options, but you’ll be up really late if you pick too many west coast teams. Mountain or Central time-zone teams are a good compromise.

4. Zero in on players

Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports

In 2010-11, Blake Griffin’s spectacular rookie season made the Clippers a must-watch even though the team was terrible. Luckily, there are plenty of similar young stars who are appointment television. Kyrie Irving has an injury history, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are never boring when he’s on the floor. If you pick the Denver Nuggets, you’ll never miss anything JaVale McGee does. The Minnesota Timberwolves get you Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio. If you have a favorite rookie or former college player you want to keep close tabs on, go for it.

5. Don’t worry about talent

John E. Sokolowski, USA TODAY Sports

Most of the league’s title contenders have lots of national games, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck picking from the dregs. There are plenty of bad teams that will still be worth watching. The Sacramento Kings have DeMarcus Cousins in a contract year, which should be fun. The Orlando Magic have an impressive crop of young, up-and-coming players who will probably be around for years. The Dallas Mavericks are likely out of the playoff picture this season, but you won’t have many more chances to watch Dirk Nowitzki.

My picks:

I have the full, 30-team version of League Pass. But if I were to get the Choice package, my recommendations would be:

New Orleans Pelicans: Three title contenders in their division, year two of Anthony Davis and a pretty entertaining Jrue Holiday/Eric Gordon/Tyreke Evans backcourt.

Washington Wizards: Four Heat games that aren’t on national TV, plus a healthy John Wall. In case you forgot, he turned the Wizards’ season around last January.

Portland Trail Blazers: Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard and two-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge make the Blazers worth watching, and last year’s atrocious bench has been upgraded so they’ll be enjoyable when their stars are sitting. Plus, being in the Northwest Division gets you four games against the Thunder as well as four each against fellow Western Conference playoff hopefuls the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets.

Toronto Raptors: They play the Knicks and Nets a lot, and promising second-year players Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas make them worthwhile on their own.

Detroit Pistons: Chicago and Indiana are in their division (as are Irving and the Cavaliers), and the additions of Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings this summer make them an intriguing playoff sleeper.

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